The present invention relates generally to mobile devices enabled with location determination units, and more specifically to a technique of enforcing rule-based actions upon tracking data obtained from such devices.
Conventional mobile devices enabled with global positioning system (GPS) units allow a user to measure raw GPS data such as location (for example, by latitude and longitude), velocity, direction (compass bearing), altitude, and time. In addition, such conventional mobile devices may be configured to derive data from the raw GPS data such as an indication as to whether the device has been stationary for a period of time. As used herein, xe2x80x9cGPS dataxe2x80x9d shall denote not only raw GPS data but also data derived from the raw GPS data.
Many GPS-enabled mobile devices are configured to do nothing but collect or measure GPS data. Although such devices are useful, users may desire additional processing on the GPS data. Such additional processing may be generalized as applying one or more rules to the GPS data and taking some action based upon the rule application. Regardless of the type of rule desired by a user, at least four separate processes are involved: 1) Configuring or setting the rule, 2) Collecting the GPS data, 3) Applying the rule to the GPS data and non-GPS data, and 4) Taking some action based upon the rule application. For example, a user may wish to know if measured velocities exceed a speed threshold. To enforce such a rule, the rule must be configured by setting the desired speed threshold, GPS data is collected, the GPS data is compared to the speed threshold, and should the speed threshold be exceeded, some type of action is taken by, e.g., alerting the user.
The four separate processes may be generalized to apply to tracking data generated by any suitable location determination method. Conventional systems that implement such rule-based actions using tracking data suffer from lack of flexibility with regard to rule configuration and application. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved techniques and systems regarding the enforcement of rule-based actions using tracking data.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method comprises configuring at least one rule at a server, generating tracking data at a mobile device though implementation of a location determination method; and applying the at least one rule on the tracking data.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a system comprises a network; a server coupled to the network; an a GPS-enabled mobile device configured to periodically report its GPS data to the server through the network, wherein the server is configured to apply at least one rule on the reported GPS data.